Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 13 - The Book of Resurrection: Chapter Two: Closure

: For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

With Jefferson Pierce apparently dead, his family make one last strike against Tobias Whale, as Freeland's Chief of Police goes mad with power... literally. There's also an unexpected enemy within, but before the night is done Black Lightning will strike one last time.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (hero returns after almost being killed and having his life ruined by his crime boss archenemy) and Batman and The Outsiders (The new Jennifer's background is somewhat reminiscent of the origin of Halo.)


Goofs

There's no resolution regarding Gambi's romance with Lauren.


Performances

Marvin "Krondon" Jones III absolutely slays during his death scene.


Artistry

Even by the standards of this show, this episode has some fantastic music and it is well used throughout the episode.

The switching between young and current Jefferson as he speaks to his father is a nice touch.

The scene of Jefferson emerging from his grave is pure comic book magic made real.


Trivia

On the day this episode was originally aired, The CW formally announced that it was not picking up the Painkiller spin-off.

As he dies, Tobias quotes Moby Dick and Ahab's last words- "To the last, I grapple with thee; From Hell's heart, I stab at thee; For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee."

Also on the same day this episode originally aired, Cress Williams revealed that he was in talks with the showrunners on The Flash to appear as Jefferson Pierce in a few episodes of The Flash Season 8.

Will Catlett improvised the final line of the episode and the series, with the approval of director Salim Akil.

The new Jennifer is revealed to be an energy being who replicated Jennifer's body and replaced her. This seems remarkably similar to the background of Halo, a member of the Outsides in the comics, who was revealed to be an energy being that took over the body of a young woman named Violet Harper. The key difference is that Violet Harper was not a good person and Halo's spirit was good, whereas here we have a malevolent spirit taking over Jennifer Pierce's life.


Technobabble

With the Promethium energy, Jefferson's electrical blasts can overcome Tobias' grounding, at least enough to throw him around though he doesn't seem to suffer any heat damage from the electricity.


Dialogue Triumphs

Gambi: You don't worry about this. Forget it ever happened.
Young Jefferson: I'm as bad as Tobias.
Gambi: Don't say that. Don't even think it. Put it out of your mind.
Young Jefferson: I still see his face when he died. I'm a monster.
Gambi: Stop. That guy was a known killer, and a One Hundred gang member. He pulled a gun on you, and he was gonna kill you in cold blood. You reacted instinctively, Jeff. It was self-defense. Nothing more.
Young Jefferson: Never again. I don't want these powers.
Gambi: I'll teach you. You'll learn how to use them, how to control them for good.
Young Jefferson: No.
Gambi: You're hurting right now, son. But don't give up. Learn from this. Your powers properly used can give hope. Hope to your city and its people. All you need is a code, Jeff. Together, we'll find you one. 

(Alvin Pierce and Jefferson Pierce sit on the steps of Jefferson's boyhood home. As they talk, Jefferson shifts between his adult self and his tween self.)
Jefferson: Even with powers, I suffered the same fate.
Alvin: No, you've made your fate, son. Starting with a code to keep you from losing your way and becoming like him.
Jefferson: You know?
Alvin: About the One Hundred boy you killed?
(Jefferson makes a face remembering it.)
Alvin: See, that there, what you're feeling? That's shame. Tobias doesn't feel shame. And that's why you'll never be like him, and why you're the one to stop him.
Jefferson: I tried, Pop. I tried for years. He won. He killed me. I don't have what it takes to stop him.
Alvin: No, you have everything you need. No more hiding under the bed, son. In order to accomplish what you've never done, you have to use what you never have. So go get it, and get it done. 

(Tobias and Black Lightning are fighting, but neither is doing much damage. Finally, Tobias is able to knock Jefferson Pierce down.)
Tobias: You need somethin' that hurts your nappy-headed neon ass. Let me introduce you to my favorite word.
(Tobias picks Black Lightning up and lifts him over his head, carrying him towards the window.)
Tobias: It's called "defenestration".
(Black Lightning shocks Tobias, forcing him to drop him. He then focuses a blast and sends Tobias flying out the window as he is moving in on the fallen Black Lightning. Once he's standing he moves to the window, only to find Tobias, impaled on a decorative spike, and slowly sliding down it as it comes through his chest.)
Black Lightning: Tobias, hold on!
(Choking on blood, Tobias struggles but the spike is too far down for him to grab it for leverage. His struggling is only accelerating how quickly his own weight is pulling him down the spike.)
Tobias: "To the end, I grapple with thee. From the bottom of hell's heart, I stab at thee". 
Black Lightning: Tobias, don't.

(Tobias reaches for both his guns and draws them.)
Black Lightning: Stop! We don't have to do this! There's another way!

Tobias: (breathing heavily) "For hate's sake, I spit my last breath at thee".
(Tobias begins firing wildly at Black Lightning, but Jefferson easily puts up a shield to block the bullets. He then aims the electrical wave at Tobias, but there is no anger or malice in it. It is mercy, as the lighting quickly kills Tobias and ends his suffering in this world. Jefferson looks at Tobias corps in disgust, as it begins to rapidly age to his true age.)

(TC sits down at his computer and activates his power. He's suddenly in the psychic headspace dojo that Khalil and Painkiller share.)
Painkiller: Oh, you must be crazy bringin' your ass here.
Khalil: I invited him.
Painkiller: (To Khalil) Don't think I won't kick your ass, too.
TC: What if I come with good and great news?
Painkiller: Speak.
TC: Tobias Whale is dead.
Painkiller: Damn. I wanted to kill him. (To TC) That's not good news. (To Khalil) Let me kick his ass just a little.
Khalil: TC, what is your other news?
TC: I've isolated the system code for the kill order. I can free you.
Painkiller: Good. Let's do it.
TC: Well, there's a catch. It's linked to everything you know and love about the whole Pierce family. If you break the kill order, you won't remember the Pierces at all.
Painkiller: So what? Pains in the ass anyway.
Khalil: (To Painkiller) Shut up, and sit your Black ass down.
(Khalil pauses and looks back to TC.)
Khalil:  TC, there's gotta be another way around.
TC: Well, there's not. I've checked and I've double-checked.
Khalil: Damn. (To Painkiller) You won't stop, will you? Sooner or later, you're going to kill Jen and all of the Pierces.
Painkiller: Best believe. But I'm not nobody's puppet. Cut the damn cord.
(Khalil gets up and turns away from them both, looking troubled.)
TC: If you need more time, I can...
(Khalil raises his hand, cutting him off.)
Khalil: Always known I'd give my life for that girl. Never thought I'd have to forget her. Do it. 

(Lala sees Tobias' corpse, still impaled on the spike. He laughs.)
Lala: Somebody finally stuck it to your ass.


Continuity

Jennifer shows everyone the photo of Jefferson that Tobias sent her. Gambi determines it is not a fake.

Gambi is unable to trace Jefferson's phone.

Gambi is still working on locating the energy emitter, but thinks he should have it traced soon.

Gambi apparently spoke with Detective Shakur and he's getting the Meta Task Force to stand down on pursuing Blackbird, Thunder and Grace, so they should be able to move on Tobias without police interference.

Gambi also confirmed that Looker is in the process of clearing Jefferson and Lynn's names.

Detective Shakur goes into Chief Lopez's office and finds the used meta booster. He also determines that the power she gave herself was energy absorption.

Detective Shakur tries to call Jefferson to warn him and leaves a message on his voice mail.

It is revealed that Jefferson has been buried alive somewhere in the woods outside Freeland.

Gambi finds the emitter in an industrial park in West Freeland, which holds Tori Whale's tomb and the headquarters of Drakestone Security - a Blackwater-style firm that Tobias owns, only they use more high-tech weapons, like the new brand of DEG.

Jennifer goes back into the ionosphere to absorb more power. As she's there, something in the mass of particles tries to grab at her. She just barely gets away from it. A face also forms with the energy, along with hands.

Lynn insists on running some tests on Jennifer since she's a little dizzy after her trip.

A flashback to 30 years in the past shows Gambi and Jefferson burying a dead gang member in the woods - one whom Jefferson accidentally killed with his powers in self-defense. This leads Jefferson to make his vow against killing.

The particles in the ionosphere form into a second Jennifer - the original Jennifer.

Grace, Anissa and Gambi raid Tori Whale's tomb.

Gambi disables the emitter, restoring Grace and Anissa's powers just in time for them to save him from the Drakestone soldiers.

Jennifer confronts the new Jennifer, who reveals herself to be an energy being who lives in the ionosphere.

The fake Jennifer refers to the Ionosphere as The Glaze and says there are many intangible beings there who long to have physical forms.

Jennifer absorbs the fake Jennifer as they fight.

Jefferson seems to have a vision of his father as he is on the verge of death, praying to God that his family will be protected and that he will be allowed to go to Heaven.

Alvin Pierce apologizes to Jefferson for not being there to raise him, but tells him he can still beat Tobias by using what he never has before.

Detective Shakur gets a call about Chief Lopez drawing power out of an alley behind the power plant, which is starting to effect the city grid. He gathers every cop he can from the station and takes them to confront her.

Jefferson feels the energy from all of the newly-created Promethium under Freeland and uses it to recharge, emerging from his grave in costume.

Anissa was hit by several DEG blasts and requires medical attention after the fight at Tori Whale's tomb but is still conscious when Jefferson calls in.

Tobias' office is located in Tori Towers.

Lightning helps the police to bring down Chief Lopez.

Jefferson accidentally kills Tobias after reflexively shocking him and knocking him out a window, causing Tobias to be impaled on a decorative spike outside his office. He does try to save Tobias, but, defiant to the end, Tobias tries to shoot Black Lightning to keep him from saving him.

When Tobias dies, his corpse ages in an instant, his de-aging serum apparently wearing off.

TC tells Khalil and Painkiller about Tobias' death. Painkiller isn't happy, as he wanted to be the one to kill Tobias.

TC also tells Khalil and Painkiller that he found way to turn off Painkiller's kill order, but it will require him to erase all of Khalil's memories of the Pierce family, as the order is too firmly embedded in those memories to remove by itself.

Khalil and Painkiller both agree to this and TC removes all their memories of the Pierce family.

Sometime later, the family organizes an official wedding ceremony for Grace and Anissa.

Grace officially adopts Wylde as her superhero name.

Lynn apologizes to Gambi for blaming him for Jefferson being a superhero.

Neither TC or Jennifer drink any of the champagne at the party.

TC decides to wait on telling Jennifer about Khalil.

Jennifer says she's disturbed that nobody but her father seemed to have any idea she'd been repalaced by the fake Jennifer.

Jefferson and Lynn announce that they are getting remarried.

Jefferson announces that he is retiring from being a superhero and will leave protecting the city to Jennifer, Grace and Anissa.

Gambi announces that he is retiring too and that TC will be taking over his role on the team.

In Tobias' office, Lala, last seen in 406, finally frees himself from the concrete Ishmael trapped him in. 


Location

Akashic Valley


The Bottom Line

A largely satisfying conclusion that resolves most of the storylines of the season, though the return of Jennifer comes out of nowhere and the Painkiller resolution is bittersweet in the wake of the revelation that - baring his jumping to another series or some other network picking up the show - this is it for Khalil. Still, it could have been far worse, and at least Lala got the literal last laugh.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 12 - The Book of Resurrection: Chapter One: Crossroads

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Jefferson tries to turn an admission of weakness into a show of strength, as Tobias prepares for his final confrontation with Black Lightning and his family.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (a crime boss villain masquerading as a legitimate businessman destroys the life of a superhero)


Goofs

The trailers for the finale (which first premiered right after this episode aired) kill any sense of suspense regarding the ending of this episode whether or not Jefferson really is dead.


Performances

Jordan Calloway continues to impress as both Khalil and Painkiller. It will be a real shame if his spin-off isn't picked up, given the quality of his performances since the backdoor pilot episode.


Artistry

The visuals of the scene where Painkiller and Khalil are talking to one another while sitting in the front seats of the van while transporting Looker is quite effective.

The Painkiller vs. Ishmael fight is another high mark for the show.


Technobabble

Gambi has a personal Pandora's Box of computer viruses dating back to the 1980s.

Gambi is able to duplicate the signal of Lynn's ankle monitor and place it on a feedback loop showing that she's at home, allowing her to roam freely.

Gambi theorizes that the bedrock of Freeland was infused with Promethium in the past year, as a result of the power surge released by Lightning taking down the ASA's energy shield in 315. The minerals were transmuted into Promethium by the radiation released.

Gambi set up a program to track Red's movement based on his unique magnetic signature whenever he used his powers. TC is able to use this to help Jennifer track him down and set up a confrontation.

Lauren thinks Lynn's idea to track the emitter based on  Val Seong's DNA has merit, but it will require a new algorithm. Lynn says she thinks they can modify the original algorithm since Promethium acts as a carrier.

The memory-erasing device Gambi builds targets the lateral parietal cortex, allowing electricity to penetrate the hippocampus, disrupting the brain's ability to access long-term memories. Unfortunately, it's only good for one shot.

Anissa says the process which removed the metagenes from the young mothers Monovista experimented on is irreversible.

A half a milliliter dose of Painkiller's non-lethal venom every 12 hours can temporarily negate a metahuman's powers.

Dialogue Triumphs

Shadow Board Leader: The Shadow Board does not tolerate failure. Your seat has been rescinded. Effective immediately.
(Tobias chuckles and hmmms. He then raises his right hand over his head and snaps his fingers three times.)
Shadow Board Leader: (scoffing) Am I supposed to be impressed?
Tobias: No. But they sure are about to be. 
(Suddenly, a semi-transparent figure fades into view behind the Shadow Board chair and begins strangling him. His image cuts out a moment later as the rest of the Shadow Board look on, stunned.)
Tobias: My assassin was rendered invisible through a meta-power - chromatophores. A power I granted, and much like the good Lord, a power I can also take away. That's right. I now control who has meta powers and who doesn't. Freeland is just the beginning. Star City, Metropolis, anywhere a meta-freak dares to stand in my way will meet the same fate as this pixelated piss-ant. Now, it's past time you all bow down and pledge your loyalty to me. Or...
(Tobias raises his right hand and snaps his fingers again. All the Shadow Board members fall to their knees.)
Tobias: All hail the king.
(Tobias laughs wickedly as he cuts the connection to the Shadow Board. Red smirks as he regards him.)
Red: What's next, Your Majesty?
Tobias: Red, don't get cute. The endgame's upon us. And while I admit to no uncertain joy toying with my prey, the time has come to finally rid the world of Jefferson Pierce.

Jefferson: I think I found a solution to our problems.
Lynn: I'm listening, and which ones? 

(Khalil is driving a van. Looker is in the seat behind him in handcuffs. Rap music is playing on the stereo.)
Looker: Can we listen to something other than this jungle jam? I prefer a little bit more treble to bass, if you know what I mean.
(Khalil sighs and turns off the stereo. Suddenly Painkiller is sitting in the passenger side front seat next to Khalil.)
Painkiller: Do you wanna tell Miss Daisy what I prefer to do to her, Khalil?
Looker: You do know that I work for Tobias Whale, right? And when he finds out what you've done with his most prized possession, he will rip your spine out and kill you.
Khalil: Hmm. Been there, done that.
Painkiller: Why can't we kill her?
Khalil: Look, we're takin' her back to Freeland to testify. Clear Mr. Pierce's name.
(Khalil is speaking to Painkiller. To Looker, however, it looks like he's talking to nobody.)
Looker: Third person much? What is that, Ebonics?
Painkiller: (scoffs) Okay. This chick keeps writing checks with her mouth that she can't cash. Now, we gon' find out if she's a beggar or a screamer, huh?
Khalil: Looker? You don't need the use of your arms, legs, or even your pretty eyes to testify. Am I understood?
(Looker pouts but shuts up. Painkiller leans back in the chair, apparently satisfied.)
Painkiller: Turn my joint back on. 
(Khalil turns the music back on and keeps driving.)

Jennifer: Uriah deserves justice. Don't you think?
TC: Justice or revenge?
Jennifer: Does it matter?
TC: Yes. 

(Jefferson gives Lynn a revised copy of his will.)
Lynn: Well, this is a little melodramatic. Even for you, Jeff.
Jefferson: Yeah, I mean, with everything that's been goin' on, it's got me thinkin', you know, about us and... our family...
Lynn: What is it, Jeff?
Jefferson: I'm sorry, Lynn. Yeah, I'm... so sorry about all the crazy things our family's been through. I never wanted this for us. Before I go see Tobias, I just wanted to make sure you heard that.
Lynn: I'm sorry, too. I've put you through a lot as well. But now we have three gifted daughters. We saved the world several times, and the multiverse, apparently. And even though it's been difficult, we're still standing. No one really gets the fairy tale they imagined, but I really love the one that I made with you.
Jefferson: I love you, Lynn.
Lynn: I love you, too. Now go do what you do best. 

(Jefferson enters his father's house. Tobias is in the kitchen, waiting.)
Tobias: Where are the rest of your lackeys? Forgive me. I mean your family.
Jefferson: It's just me. Let's get this over with. Everything is here. Just sign the deed. House is yours.
Tobias: Is that it? I was expecting some grandiose last stand. All I see is a toothless dog waiting to be put down.
Jefferson: You took everything! My family, my reputation, my powers. Even Freeland. Just sign the damn deed!
Tobias: You know, I've been waiting a decade to hear you cry like that. It was well worth the wait.
(Tobias looks over the deed as Jefferson readies the memory eraser. He strikes, but Tobias counters the attack and catches Jefferson's wrist, squeezing it.)
Tobias: What do you got there? Huh? 
(Tobias forces Jefferson to drop the device and steps on it, crushing it.)
Tobias: Not so toothless after all, eh? But I never thought you actually had the stones to kill me.
Jefferson: That was to wipe your memory. I'm not a monster like you.
Tobias: If you were the better man, you'd do what's actually necessary. Not this Tinker Tailor Soldier...
(Tobias throws Jefferson into the next room. Jefferson gets up and takes a swing at him, but Tobias dodges and counter-punches easily. He looks at Jefferson as he groans.)
Tobias: You know, I would've never admitted this. But seein' as that you're gonna die tonight, I might as well tell you, I killed your daddy... right over there!
(Tobias kicks Jefferson against one of the support beams. Jefferson continues to groan.)
Tobias: Get up.
Jefferson: (struggling to stand) I was there. I saw what you did from under the bed. And I dedicated my life... to bringing you to justice.
Tobias: You were there? You mean to tell me you've been trying your whole life to crawl out from under that bed and avenge your dead daddy? Damn!
(Tobias regards Jefferson and nods.)
Tobias: You know what? Take your best shot.
(Jefferson does. Tobias doesn't flinch but takes the punch. It splits his lip and draws blood. He side-steps the follow-up punch easily and walks past Jefferson who goes off-balance and is breathing heavily. Tobias smacks his lips, tasting the blood as he turns around to face Jefferson and starts punching him again.)
Tobias: I made you, Jefferson Pierce. Forged you in pain and anger, and look what you do with my gift!
(Jefferson groans on the ground as Tobias picks up the deed.) 
Tobias: Oh, Jeff. You really are your father's son. And you're gonna die like him, too. 
(Tobias begins strangling Jefferson while force-feeding him the deed pages.)

(Jennifer is fixing herself something to eat when her phone rings. She sees it is her father. She answers the phone.)
Jennifer: Hey, Dad, you are gonna be proud of what I did tonight.
Tobias: (on phone) Oh, for what? Turning Red in to Chief Lopez? I'm sure your daddy isn't too proud now.
Jennifer: Tobias?
Tobias: Mr. Whale to you. Didn't Jefferson teach you better manners? Lethal Lightning?
Jennifer: What do you want?  I'm not playing games. 
Tobias: Oh, no game, sweetheart. My city, my rules. I warned you. You made me do it.
Jennifer: What did you do? And why do you have Dad's phone?
Tobias: See for yourself. Jefferson Pierce is dead. 
(Jennifer receives a photo. She sees her father' bruised and beaten. She screams and drops the bowl, which falls toward the camera as we fade to black.)


Continuity

Jennifer is watching the same video of Uriah over and over in her room.

Jennifer tells Jefferson she is not going to school. Jefferson lets it slide.

Jefferson never told Anissa or Jennifer about how their grandfather died.

Jefferson tells Jennifer about how he saw Tobias Whale kill his father as a boy.

Jennifer says she wants to quit being Lightning, but Jefferson gives her back her costume, pointing out that she's the only hero left in Freeland right now.

Lauren helps Gambi hack into Monovista's servers.

Lauren once again asks Gambi how her emitter ties into promethium and the stolen metagenes. Gambi says he trusts her, but it isn't his secret to reveal.

Lauren determines that the Monovista servers were cleaned, but she's able to hack the CEO's personal files.

Monovista's secret metagene harvesting project was called Event Horizons.

Only one gene harvesting device was manufactured by Monovista. It, the schematics, and all of the harvested metagenes have been relocated into one building.

Gambi determines that the one building containing the stolen metagenes is owned by a shell corporation with ties to Tobias Whale.

Grace and Anissa plan to blow up the building.

Gambi offers Anissa the use of his Pandora's Box - a collection of viruses - to completely brick Monovista's computers so they'll be useless, even if they survive the explosion.

Red informs Tobias that Alvin Pierce's home will be his as soon as Jefferson Pierce signs the deed over to him.

The Shadow Board contact Tobias and are confirmed to be The Shadow Board.

Tobias is informed that since he failed to bring Lightning under control, his position on the Shadow Board has been rescinded.

Tobias reveals that he has the power to give metahuman abilities to whoever he wants, by having an assassin with chameleon powers kill one of the other Shadow Board members.  After that, the rest of the Shadow Board literally take a knee to him.

Tobias says the time has come to finally put an end to Black Lightning.

Lynn theorizes they can track the energy emitter by searching for Val Seong's DNA signature rather than the energy signature of Promethium. 

Gambi decides to introduce Lauren and Lynn so they can work together.

Jefferson comes up with the idea of erasing Tobias' memory of his and his family's secret identities, like he did with the cops who tried to arrest him in 401.

Gambi says he may be able to rig up a hand-held device that can replicate Jefferson's powers in the same way, but he's not sure how he could power it.

Lynn suggests Gambi could use his stolen Promethium to do it.

Chief Lopez tells Detective Shakur about the meta-boosters and bracelets she was given by Tobias in 411. She tells him to start distributing them among his task force and get them ready to go after Lightning once they are comfortable with the powers they get.

Detective Shakur refuses, saying that giving powers to police officers would just throw gasoline on the fire.

Chief Lopez says her job will be on the line if she can't bring in Lightning.

Detective Shakur, after asking permission to speak freely, discusses how Chief Lopez's husband developed metahuman powers, went crazy and killed her brothers. Given that, he asks if she's really sure she wants to risk poisoning good cops under her command.

Chief Lopez relents and agreed to give Detective Shakur until the end of the month to catch Lightning with traditional methods.

Khalil is in the middle of transporting Looker back to Freeland to testify against Tobias.

Jefferson calls Tobias and says he is ready to sell his father's house to him. Tobias asks to meet with him in one hour at Alvin Pierce's home.

Jennifer asks TC for his help in tracking down Red so they can get justice for Uriah. 

Jennifer says she can fight Red if she charges up in the ionosphere first, even though the emitter is making it weird for her to use her powers.

Lauren knows of Lynn by reputation.

Lauren asks Lynn what Gambi has her working on and how he said that it wasn't his secret to tell.

Lynn tells Lauren that her family are all metahumans and they need to shut down the emitter so that they can save the city from Tobias Whale, who is secretly a criminal mastermind.

Lauren said she had guessed most of this, but she could keep a secret too until Lynn decided to tell her more.

Ishmael ambushes Khalil's van on the road, saying he had orders from Tobias to kill both him and Looker.

Looker, unbeknownst to her, has a subdermal tracker implanted in her body.

Painkiller cheats in the fight with Ishmael, poisoning the hilt of the sword he took from Ishmael during the fight, so that Ishmael doomed himself when he grabbed his weapon to finish the job.

Jefferson insists on facing Tobias alone, despite Gambi offering to go with him.

Anissa and Grace debate whether or not they should tell all the mothers experimented on by Monovista about what was done to them. Anissa finally agrees that no good can come of traumatizing these women.

Jefferson gives Lynn an updated copy of his will.

Anissa and Grace blow up the Monovista building with the metagenes.

Detective Shakur and Special Agent Kevin Mason meet with Khalil to take Looker into custody outside the Freeland city limits.

Khalil gives Detective Shakur a vial containing the non-lethal version of his venom to keep Looker under control.

Painkiller suggests going to Freeland but Khalil says Jennifer is better off without him in her life.

Jennifer attacks Red as he's in the middle of calling Tobias to let him know a perimeter has been secured.

Red's bracelet is broken after Jennifer throws him to the ground with her powers. He begs for mercy.

Lightning takes Red directly to Chief Lopez along with evidence, on a flash drive around his neck, that he was responsible for killing Uriah.

Lightning records the conversation with Chief Lopez and livestreams it, catching Lopez admitting her anti-metahuman vendetta.

Chief Lopez goes into her office and shoots up one of the meta-boosters.

Jefferson tries to use the memory-eraser on Tobias, but he blocks the attack.

Tobias confesses to killing Alvin Pierce.

Jefferson tells him he already knew, as he was hiding in the house and watched Tobias kill his father.

Jennifer calls Jefferson to tell him about how she caught and turned in Red.  Tobias answers the phone and sends Jennifer a picture of Jefferson, apparently dead.


Location

Somewhere on the road between wherever Looker was living and Freeland.


The Winick Factor

Chief Lopez's reasons for hating metahumans are revealed far too late in the season for it to make her into an interesting, sympathetic or effective villain. Had it been established earlier that she lost her family because of her husband being a metahuman who lost control of his powers or went crazy, she might be sympathetic or believable. As it stands, the 11th hour introduction of this motivation makes her into, to borrow a line from Frost regarding a similar character on The Flash, "Cicada with a badge."


The Bottom Line

Largely satisfying, though the story is all over the place thanks to the need to give every character something to do and some of the stories are far more uneven than others. Jennifer and Jefferson's stories are the best, while Anissa and Grace might as well not be in the episode at all and everything Painkiller is doing, while interesting, is completely disconnected from the rest of the narrative. Still, it's worth it for the confrontation with Tobias and the final scene where it looks like the show might be ending with Jefferson's death.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 11 - The Book of Reunification: Chapter Two: Trial and Errors

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

With Tobias Whale having won the mayoral election by default and Lynn's lawyer suggesting a plea deal, Jefferson becomes more desperate than ever to find a way to take the fight to his archenemy. Luckily, Khalil has a lead on another old enemy who is on Tobias' payroll, but how far will Jefferson go to save the woman he loves from prison? Meanwhile, Tobias turns his attention to the new Lightning and the connection between Jennifer Pierce and JJ Stewart.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (supervillain devotes himself to destroying life of archenemy)


Artistry

The opening scene of Tobias playing Beethoven's 5th Symphony is great.

The use of colored light and the set design for the Painkiller/Looker fight is fantastic.


Technobabble

Lynn is able to develop a serum that can extract the silver element from anyone Looker controls.

A half-dose of Painkiller's venom can neutralize a metahuman's powers, leaving them alive but powerless.


Dialogue Triumphs

Detective Shakur: Why should I trust you, let alone help you?
Jefferson: Because now you know everything. All my cards are on the table. Look, Henderson said I could trust you. I'm trusting you with my life. Ball's in your court, man.


Continuity

Lightning attacks one of the courier shipments picking up the metagene samples from The Center for Gene Therapy and Genetic Research.

Lightning is caught on camera retrieving the gene samples.

Tobias orders a DNA scan to be run on the woman in the Lightning costume.

Jefferson and Gambi have a drink in public before Jefferson is due to meet with Lynn and her lawyer.

Keith Michaels says he thinks he can work out a reasonable plea deal that will see Lynn serving the bare minimum of jail time. Jefferson says that isn't acceptable, but Keith pointedly reminds him that he is Lynn's ex-husband, so he has no say. 

Lynn tells both of them to cool it and says she will decide whether or not to accept the plea deal on her own.

Tobias wins the mayoral election by default after his opponent, Councilman Holland, suddenly drops out of the race.

Chief Lopez meets with Tobias and asks for more next-generation DEGs. Instead, Tobias offers her meta-boosters and bracelets, telling her about his forcefield that depowers all the metahumans in Freeland except for the ones he has working for him.

Tobias gets the results of his DNA scan on the new Lightning and confirms that it matches Jennifer Pierce's DNA.

Anissa tells Lynn and Jefferson about her investigation into Tobias' metagene theft and gives them the frozen DNA sample container. 

TC tells Jefferson that he's been in contact with Khalil and that he has some information for him.

Khalil tells Jefferson about the secret ledger he retrieved in 410 and how Tobias has a lot of people on his payroll, including cops, lawyers, judges, public figures and barbers. He also mentions the mystery woman who was being paid 10 times more than anyone else, but who has no digital footprint. The only information he has on her is a codename: Looker.

Jefferson tells Khalil about Looker and how she apparently escaped ASA custody sometime during the Markovian War.

The payments to Looker began roughly three months earlier.

Khalil offers to go after Looker for Jefferson and bring her to justice, since there is an address for her in the secret ledger.

Khalil says he intends to come home to Freeland after he finally gets Painkiller's order to kill the Pierce family out of his head. He asks after Jennifer, but Jefferson and TC don't tell him about how her appearance has changed.

Jefferson tells Lynn what Khalil told him and how he thinks Looker was responsible for framing them both. He suspects one of the people being controlled ins Special Agent Kevin Mason, but he's going to need help to prove it.

Jefferson decides to approach Detective Shakur about his plan.

Something is still off with Jennifer's powers, which leaves her feeling like a drained battery.

TC was able to hack Uriah's social media account and determine that it was the police who set up the ambush for Lightning in 409.

TC also sets Uriah up with a date with JJ later that night.

Jefferson tells Detective Shakur about Looker and his belief that she is mind-controlling Special Agent Kevin Mason. Shakur is skeptical but says he will think about helping him, but he has another appointment that night.

Jefferson asks if the appointment is with Black Lightning. Shakur asks how he knew that and Jefferson reveals the burner phone he uses as Black Lightning.

Shakur is not happy about being manipulated but ultimately relents with Jefferson points out that he is trusting him with his secret identity and his life now.

JJ's date with Uriah goes well.

Detective Shakur sets up a meeting between himself, Jefferson and Special Agent Mason and arranges for three cups of coffee to be set aside for them. Jefferson slips the anti-Looker serum into Mason's cup.

Mason has an immediate reaction to the coffee and the silver element tries to escape after Looker speaks through him and he vomits up the element. Jefferson is able to catch it.

Mason confirms that he was being mind-controlled by Looker and says he is going to do what he can to help clear Jefferson and Lynn's names on his end.

Lauren meets with Gambi again. He once again apologizes, tells her about Tobias Whale being a crook and explains how he's been trying to work out a way to track down the energy emitter.

Anissa speaks with Lauren and while not revealing the whole truth of their work together or that she's a superhero, he shows Lauren her research that Monovista is stealing the metagenes out of young mothers.

Lauren agrees to help Gambi with finding the emitter, but not to help him - only to figure out who is stealing from her employee and got them involved in some shady business.

Red attacks JJ and Uriah and Uriah is shot in the crossfire. Red says that everyone she cares about will die if she doesn't quit being Lightning.

Uriah dies after telling JJ to keep fighting to make the world a better place.

Jennifer and TC mourn Uriah's death together.

Khalil confronts Looker in a mental battle, where he and Painkiller gang up on the psychic vampire.

Khalil doses Looker with a half-dose of his venom, telling her she won't get the rest of his antidote until she confesses to everything she did to help Tobias Whale frame the Pierces. 

Gambi and Lauren discover that there are veins of Promethium buried around the Freeland tunnels, making it all but impossible for them to find the emitter by tracking its energy signature.

Jefferson tells Lynn that Detective Hassan is en route to arrest Looker and Agent Mason is working with them.

Jefferson proposes to Lynn again but she wants to throw a proper wedding for Anissa and Grace before she thinks of remarrying herself. She does, however, agree to "celebrate" with Jefferson that night.

Tobias recognizes Khalil from the security footage of his attack on Jesse Gentilucci's office.

Tobias calls Ishmael and tells him that there are some loose ends that need tidying up.


Location

An unnamed location outside of Freeland, where Looker is hiding out.


Untelevised Adventures

Looker escaped from ASA custody sometime during the War with Markovia.


The Fridge Factor

Uriah is killed purely to give Jennifer more angst ad dies because of her waning powers.


The Bottom Line

An oddly flat episode, despite everything that takes place during it. Uriah's death is just gratuitous and the reiintroduction of Looker seems like a bit much, despite her fight with Khalil and Painkiller being the visual highpoint of the episode. Jefferson coming to an accord with Detective Shakur also feels like it should have come earlier in the season. All in all it isn't bad, but it does seem very thrown together and none of the dialogue really sings. 

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 10 - The Book of Reunification: Chapter One: Revelations

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Lynn finds herself in serious legal trouble, as the rest of Freeland's heroes find themselves suddenly powerless. As Gambi struggles to figure out what is going on, Jennifer takes drastic action to kickstart her powers and a new barrier threatens Lynn and Jefferson's marriage.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (a crime boss villain tries to destroy the reputation of a superhero) and Predator (Jefferson's fight with Ishmael using his suit's stealth mode).


Performances

Cress Williams does a great job of conveying Jefferson's annoyance with every little thing in this episode without descending into outright anger, indicating how well he is maintaining his calm even as it is suggested he is on the edge of losing his cool.


Artistry

The fight between Black Lightning and Ishmael is one of the show's best, even ignoring the use of special effects to let Jefferson "stealth."


Trivia

Tobias quotes Francis Bacon - “If a man will begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts; but if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties.”


Technobabble

Jefferson's costume has a stealth mode which he triggers using his powers. Gambi also has the ability to activate the stealth mode remotely.

Jefferson and Jennifer activate their powers to materialize and dematerialize their suits. Gambi has a prototype of the module that allows them to do this, which allows him to trigger the effect remotely. This gets Jennifer and Jefferson out of their costumes now that they are powerless.

Gambi installed the forcefield which saved Jennifer from falling to death after Jefferson nearly died entering the ionosphere in 405. Presumably Jefferson's costume has the same failsafe.

Tobias' followers have bracelets that render them immune to the effects of the energy emitter.

According to the data Dr. Darius Morgan recovered, none of the women Monovista was treating for cystic fibrosis actually had the condition. All of them did have the metagene and that this was harvesting them for some other purpose.


Dialogue Triumphs

Jennifer: We need to get our powers back. They were the only real tie I had left to my identity. If I can't be Lightning anymore, who am I?
Anissa: Look, whether you have your powers, or you look different or not, you are my sister. And that, I know in my soul. So just hold on to that, okay? Until Gambi can... figure out a way for this all to go back to normal.
Jennifer: You know damn well this family doesn't do "normal."
(Anissa laughs at that.)
Grace: She's not wrong about that.

Tobias: "If a man shall begin with certainties, he shall end in doubts. But if he will be content to begin with doubts, he shall end in certainties." I wanna see this thing in action. 
(Tobias draws a gun and fires at Red, who grins as he stops the bullet with his magnetic powers.)
Tobias: (chuckling) Cool. Now remove the bracelet. 
(Red does so but looks a bit nervous as Tobias aims at him and fires, breaking a vase just behind him.)

Tobias: (chuckling) I wasn't gonna actually shoot you, Red. Now that we have assurances that the emitter is working, time to initiate phase two of the plan. 

(Red still looks nervous as he wordlessly puts the bracelet back on as Tobias walks past him. Tobias is still laughing to himself. He then stops and turns his head back toward Red.)

Tobias: Oh, and... you owe me a vase. That was Lalique.

(Jennifer has just recovered from electrocuting herself to reactivate her powers.)
Anissa: Oh, my God. If you would have died, I would have killed you!
Jennifer: Classic Anissa logic.

Lynn: Can we talk about what's bothering you? Is it Keith? Um, I know this must be uncomfortable for you.
Jefferson: No. It's not.
Lynn: Then why are you acting like this?
Jefferson: Like what?
Lynn: Ungrateful.
Jefferson: (standoffish) What do I have to be grateful for, Lynn? That, uh... you have no faith in me? You didn't think I could fix this? That right now, I don't have the power to protect you?

Continuity

Lightning survives the fall when her powers fail thanks to a forcefield which stops her just before she hits the ground.

TC has to make contact with Lightning using one of Gambi's ear-pieces instead of his powers, like he usually does.

Jefferson gets Gambi to activate the stealth mode in his suit. This allows him to get the jump on Ishmael, but he still struggles to hold him down.

Detective Hassan Shakur arrives with a small team of police officers, but Jefferson tells them to run for it.

Jefferson ultimately flees the fight with Ishmael.

Anissa is saved from the car by Grace knocking her out of the car's path.

Anissa finds the flash drive Dr. Darius Morgan hid the stolen data on Monovista's cystic fibrosis cure in a hidden compartment underneath the stuffed and mounted body of his dog, Rusty, whom he mentioned in 402.

TC isn't a good enough hacker without his powers to decrypt the flash-drive Anissa found, but he says he knows someone who can help. This turns out to be Painkiller's ally Philky.

Detective Shakur calls Jefferson and informs him of Lynn's arrest.

Because of Jefferson's friendship with Bill Henderson, Detective Shakur is able to get him five minutes to talk to Lynn privately.

Lynn is being held on 14 charges of violation of civil rights and accusations that she experimented on children in a government black site. This could be a reference to her work with the Green Light babies held by the ASA in earlier seasons, which Tobias would be privy to.

Jefferson tells Lynn about how all the mtahumans in Freeland seem to have lost their powers

Tobias put out an official statement distancing himself from Lynn and her clinic.

Keith Michaels, an old college friend of Lynn's who became a lawyer, has agreed to represent her.

This is the first time Jefferson met Keith Michaels, though he knows of him.

When Jefferson asks about paying Keith, Lynn says it's already been take care of. This implies that Keith is a rather famous lawyer and very expensive.

Jennifer stays the night with Grace and Anissa. 

Jennifer is worried that she isn't really her anymore without her powers.

Tobias and Red test a bracelet that renders Red immune to the effects of the energy emitter.

Lynn's bail is posted at $3 million.

Jefferson discovers that Lynn used her one phone call to call Anissa and told her to contact Keith Michaels. 

Jefferson discovers that Anissa is Keith Michael's fees using the drug money she stole from the 100 as Blackbird.

Philky tells TC he has a real gift for hacking and coding even without his powers.

Khalil has claustrophobia and starts to hyperventilate crawling through ducts.

Khalil is able to recover a digital ledger belonging to Tobias.

Keith Michaels is able to get Lynn released without bail. It turns out the judge on her case was trying to get a kid into the same college Keith and Lynn went to and Keith was able to work a deal.

It is revealed that Keith Michaels was more than a friend - he is Lynn's old boyfriend.

Keith Michaels still seems to have feelings for Lynn and seems about to say something before Jefferson shows up.

Jefferson is curt but polite to Keith, who goes a little overboard in offering to do anything he can to help Lynn.

TC delivers Philky's findings to Anissa on the cystic fibrosis data.

Philky taught TC how to attach a tracer to an IP address.

TC tracks the files to The Center for Gene Therapy and Genetic Research. This implies that someone on the clinic, working for Tobias, was covering their tracks.

Tobias has a meeting with Destiny, where he threatens to turn her in to Chief Lopez if he isn't put in charge of the Kobra Cartel. He allows her to keep a 10% managers fee of her current earnings.

The Kobra Cartel is involved in money drops, illegal gambling and human trafficking.

Destiny tries to shoot Tobias, but Red stops the bullets.

Tobias reveals that he's also made Ishmael a better offer and brought him into his direct employ.

Lauren angrily returns the Go board that Gambi gave her in 406.

Lauren reveals that she knows Gambi stole Promethium from her lab and blames him for the energy emitter being stolen as well.

Gambi swears he is innocent of that theft and can explain why he had to steal Promethium.

The ledger Khalil stole contains payroll information of various people Tobias pays thousands of dollars to every month. He decides to investigate one particular woman, who gets $20,000 a month.

Jennifer tries to kickstart her powers by electrocuting herself. She knocks out the power in Anissa's apartment in the process, but it works.

With a spark of her power back, Jennifer decided to reenter the ionosphere to fully recharge.

Jefferson point-blank tells Lynn that she doesn't trust him to help her.

Gambi brings Jefferson and Lynn dinner and talks to them about how Tobias must be using Lynn's clinic to take away everyone's powers somehow.

Lynn realizes Tobias used her - that she wasn't testing Val to find a cure for ALS, but to find a way for Tobias to harness her nullifying powers.

Gambi realizes Tobias must have found a way to partner Lynn's research with the energy emitter he was working on to create a forcefield that could nullify superpowers. 

Tobias meets, through a hologramatic interface, with a group referred to only as The Board.  This seems to be The Shadow Board, whom Lady Eve answered to.

Tobias shows the Board video of him testing the emitter with Red, proving that only his chosen few metahumans have power in Freeland.

The Shadow Board promise Tobias a place among them once he becomes Mayor of Freeland.

Grace likes the idea of not having powers and not being a superhero anymore.  Anissa says she can't give it up and doesn't want to live a regular life.

Jennifer flies into the ionosphere and starts drawing in power.

TC stops her after she gains more than enough.

Jennifer starts to disintegrate again but recovers. The energy she left behind, however, remains in the ionosphere. 


The Winick Factor

Honestly, the "do we want to be superheroes or not?" conversation seems to be the sort of conversation Anissa and Grace should have had before getting married. Then again, the show has established that Anissa is sort of impulsive.


The Bottom Line

An oddly empty episode which doesn't accomplish much beyond giving Jefferson one more thing to angst over and one more reason to be annoyed with Lynn. It's also a little late to be giving Tobias a few more hats to wear in his efforts to take over Freeland at every level, but it's worth it to see more of Tobias being smarter than everyone else in the room.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 9 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter Four: Lyding

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

As Jefferson plans a confrontation with Ishmael, Tobias Whale takes the next step in striking out against every member of the Pierce family. Meanwhile, Jennifer tries to use her Lightning identity to save Garfield High's music program and impress her crush, even as Chief Lopez redoubles her efforts to capture the outspoken teen vigilante.

Influences

Daredevil: Born Again (Tobias' plot against the Pierces is reminiscent of the Kingpin's plot against Matt Murdock)


Goofs

In Lynn's dream, Jennifer makes reference to her mother finding a way to kill the metagene. Based on the previews for an upcoming episode of The Flash, set one year before this episode, this is already common knowledge and used in the legal system as a way to depower criminal metahumans. (It's possible the method used by the American legal system is temporary and what Lynn is proposing is scientifically different or is a permanent suppression like what Cisco Ramon made for himself.)


Performances

Christopher A'mmanuel gets some great comic beats here as TC, playing up his obvious (to everyone except Jen) crush on Jen even as he tries to reign in her excesses and be the friend she needs. He also plays well of Laura Kariuki.

Laura Kariuki, it should be mentioned, is better at playing a likeable brat than China Anne McClain was. At the very least, she's better at conveying Jennifer's bad decisions as being made by short-sighted confidence rather than the whims of the writers.


Artistry

Lynn's nightmare sequence is an effectively directed moment of horror, with some perfectly disturbing visuals.

The action sequence in which Painkiller goes after Jesse Gentilucci is fantastic, particularly the use of color in the background and lighting. 

The final scenes are possibly the best cliffhanger in the show's history.


Trivia

The title of the episode is an Afrikaans word meaning both "suffer" and "sustain."

Tobias quotes from Matthew 20:16: "The first shall be last and the last shall be first."


Technobabble

In Lynn's dream, she is said to have found a way to kill the metagene and increase a metahumans power.

While studying Lightning, Ishmael notes her speed, acceleration and energy levels.

The new Thunder costume has a sonic trigger that is activated by a finger-snap when Anissa is in her high-density mode. The suit also has a memory function that maintains its density once matching itself to Anissa's body. This will prevent her from being vulnerable the moment she stops holding her breath. It is also bulletproof to automatic gunfire at point-blank range.

Painkiller now has the ability to switch out his poison gland with an antidote one that neutralizes the poison his system creates. 

A full dose of Painkiller's poison can kill an adult male in four seconds.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Lightning has just filmed a social media video to promote Uriah's GoFundMe.)
Uriah: Yo, I... I don't know how to thank you enough. 

Lightning: It's no problem. We need more people like you. It takes a special person to do something when everyone else is just standing by. 

(Jennifer is laying the loving daughter act on thick while fixing Jefferson breakfast.)
Jefferson: Now, you know, just because you said you're sorry doesn't mean I'm going to forget that we need to discuss Lightning's IG page.
Jennifer: There's no such thing as grounding a social media page.
Jefferson: No, but you can delete it.
Jennifer: Delete it? Come on, Dad! Really?!
Jefferson: Yes, really
Jennifer: Ugh!
Jefferson: Look, we don't do what we do for attention or applause. And as Lightning, you need to remain focused and vigilant if you want to remain alive. So delete it.
Jennifer: Okay, I lied. How about I just... deactivate it for a while? That's like grounding it.
Jefferson: How about.. you delete it?
Jennifer: Okay. Before you put a period on it... My mistake. I won't go live ever again. But Lightning is a role model. The kids that look up to me need my voice. I get to inspire them without contact. Sounds pretty safe to me.
Jefferson: Okay. Deactivate it for now until further notice.
Jennifer: Did I tell you how sorry I am?
Jefferson: Young lady, don't press your luck. 

Khalil (To Painkiller, as he is torturing Jesse Gentilucci) PK? I can't get information out of a dead man.

(After Painkiller has killed Jesse Gentilucci)
Khalil: (sighing) Now, why would you do that?
Painkiller: What? Look, you were wrong. I was right. See? You CAN get information out of a dead man.

Jennifer: Hey, you made it possible.
Uriah: Not me. I'm not a hero like Lightning. It takes a special person to do something when everybody else is just standing by.

(Jennifer is smoking weed on the ledge outside her bedroom. TC is with her.)

Jennifer: Do you wanna smoke?
TC: Oh. Uh... I just say no.
Jennifer: Did you quote Nancy Reagan? 

TC: Of course. I grew up with her.
Jennifer: (laughing) How about you "just say no" to mass incarcerations? Isn't the 80' s anymore. A little weed is good for stress.
TC: Aren't you stressed, like, 90% of the time?
Jennifer: Yes, because my family rides me, like, 90% of the time.
(Jennifer's celphone chimes, indicating she just got a text messsage.)
TC: It's Uriah.
Jennifer: Are you monitoring my DMs, like, all the time?
TC: Of course. That's my job, remember?
Jennifer: Well, take a day off.
TC: Didn't you say that your dad said to deactivate that account?
Jennifer: He doesn't know how to use or check social media. Besides, I promised to never go live again, not deactivate it.
TC: Why do you need to be Lightning to be with a boy who already likes you?
Jennifer: You ask a lot of questions. Because it's fun. Ever heard of that? He wants to thank Lightning in person for helping him save Garfield's music program.
TC: Isn't Lightning grounded? Does that mean Lightning can't go out at all, or just stopping crime?
Jennifer: (thinks) Definitely stopping crime.
TC: Lightning shouldn't be friends with a boy that JJ likes.
Jennifer: So I won't post it on IG.
TC: Why can't you just be JJ?
Jennifer: You're a genius. I will go as JJ... and then change into the suit right before I see Uriah. If anybody asks you where I am, just say no.
TC: That is not what that meant!

Tobias Whale: My philosophy has always been, "Do what you love, and the money will follow." Run your mouth and death will follow quicker. 

Tobias Whale: (To his sister's tomb) It's time to show the Pierce family, when you go against God's plan, a great whale swallows away your powers. (breathes deeply) The last shall be first... and the first shall be last.


Continuity

Lynn tells her therapist about a dream she had where she gassed her family as a way to get rid of their superpowers, saying it was the only way for them to be a normal family.

The therapist suggests Lynn's dream is her subconscious telling her that her family doesn't need fixing.

Jenn approaches Uriah as Lightning and offers to help with promoting the GoFundMe that he started to finance Garfield High's music program. She says she saw a repost from some girl named JJ, referring to her new secret identity. 

Uriah works as a delivery boy for a restaurant.

Jenn records a video using Uriah's phone, logging into her Instagram account, telling people to donate to the GoFundMe.

A CCPD officer is revealed to be monitoring Lightning's social media and alerts Chief Lopez that she's transmitting a live video.

Detective Hassan Shakur texts Black Lightning to warn him about the Chief  coming for Lightning.

Uriah's IG account is All-Eyes-On_Uriah. 

Jennifer feels a sudden twinge of pain while talking to Uriah and flees.

Ishmael is revealed to have been watching Lightning and Uriah, studying her powers up-close.

Gambi makes a new Thunder costume for Anissa. She loves it so much she declares she may never go out as Blackbird again.

Jennifer is grounded, in her civilian life and as Lightning, when Jefferson learns about the video.

Gambi tells Jefferson, Anissa and Jennifer everything he and TC have learned about Ishmael, which isn't much. He has advanced hand-to-hand combat training and is a master swordsman who is good enough to have made a reputation for himself as a metahuman hunter. He's adept with technology, a master tactician and good enough to a digital footprint "as small as a fly's," in TC's words.

Gambi also tells them about how Ishmael is apparently being up for the League of Assassins.

Killing high profile targets is one way to get invited into the League of Assassins, apart from killing 100 Metahumans.

TC confirmed that Ishmael is currently being paid by the Kobra Cartel.

Jennifer cooks a big breakfast for Jefferson as an apology for getting upset about his grounding her.

Jefferson orders Jennifer to delete her social media accounts. He eventually relents and agrees to her not doing live broadcasts and deactivating them until she's no longer Public Enemy Number One in Freeland.

Lynn is locked out of her lab at work. The security guard informs her that all of her personal files have already been transferred offsite.

When Lynn reminds the security guard, Michael, that she fought to let him keep his job even though they had every right to fire him, he tells her that Special Agent Kevin Mason was responsible for coming into her lab and taking everything as evidence.

Lynn does some digging and angrily informs Jefferson that it looks as if his embezzlement funded the last 15 years of her research, all of which has been confiscated by the FBI.

Painkiller goes after Jesse Gentilucci.- the man who cut the checks for Tobias Whale back in his crime lord days.

Jesse Gentilucci. tells Painkiller about a secret ledger Tobias keeps and where it can be found.

Uriah is a piano player.

Uriah tells Jennifer that they got enough funding to pay for the music program in one day, thanks to Lightning's video.

Uriah quotes back the words she told him as Lightning when she says he's a hero.

Detective Shakur coaches an after-school basketball league for at-risk youths

Black Lighting thanks Detective Shakur for the warning about Chief Lopez monitoring Lightning's social media and asks him about Ishmael.

Detective Shakur has heard of Ishmael and agrees to give Black Lightning a 20 minute delay in police response, but says he'll have to clear out an area for a confrontation himself.

TC is straight and straight-edge. (i.e. he does not use drugs recreationally)

TC says he currently has a crush on a girl named Lisa.

Jennifer says that Jefferson is clueless when it comes to social media.

The Lightning Instagram account gets a message from Uriah, saying he wants to meet her in person to thank her for what she did to help the music program. It is revealed this message was sent by a GPD officer who hacked Uriah's account to set a trap for Lightning.

Chief Lopez leads the trap team herself, keeping Detective Shakur out of the loop.

Dr. Darius Morgan confides in Anissa that he began researching the fake cystic fibrosis treatment that Anissa began investigating in 408. He says he got locked out of the system so now they know he was trying to get into the files he wasn't suppose to look at. He asks to meet her at his place that night where he can give her while files he had before he flees town.

Anissa calls Grace and tells her that she'll see her at home later and will meet with Darius alone.

Gambi helps Jefferson to hack Ishmael's phone to send him a challenge.

Marshall Bates delivers the energy emitter prototype to Tobias Whale's home personally.

Val informs Tobias that Lynn made a meta-booster based on her DNA and it is viable. When Tobias gives the order to move against her, Val says it has already been done.

Tobias refers to his sister as the love of his life.

Kevin Mason shows up at the Pierce home and arrests Lynn for Violation of Civil Rights.

Chief Lopez notes that Lightning is now taller but is still convinced it is her, somehow.

Jennifer barely escapes the police ambush.

Lynn is forced to endure a full pat-down, strip search and cavity search after being arrested.

Tobias has the energy emitter moved to his sister's tomb and activates it. Somehow, the emitter has now been turned into a forcefield that prevents metahuman powers from being used within the range of its field.

Anissa discovers Dr. Darius Morgandead in his home and flees the scene. As she leaves, a vehicle speeds toward her as she's crossing the street. She attempts to do her Thunder Clap and it does not work.

Jefferson's powers suddenly stop working as he is fighting Ishmael.

TC is unable to use his powers to hack the computers and find Jefferson an escape route.

Jennifer's powers stop working as she's flying away from the police ambush.


Untelevised Adventures

Dr. Darius Morgan was apparently asked to research the fake cystic fibrosis treatment by Anissa off-camera.


The Winick Factor

Thunder's decision to try and clap a car out of the way rather than get out of the road is stupid and only occurs to set up a cliffhanger.


The Bottom Line

A great episode, in spite of a few rough edges. Easily the strongest episode of the season, thanks to some smart writing and all of the ensemble being given a chance to shine.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 8 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter Three: Things Fall Apart

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

The newlyweds are home from their honeymoon and Grace is officially welcomed into the Pierce Family. Unfortunately, the event is marred by the sudden arrival of a team of FBI agents and the news that Jefferson is under investigation for embezzling money from Garfield High. As they work to prove his innocence, Tobias steps up his campaign for mayor, Ishmael begins his hunt the heroes of Freeland and Jennifer prepares for her first day of school as JJ Stewart.

Technobabble

Gambi believes he can use Promethium to make costumes that will protect the team from DEG blasts.

Anissa learns that while she was gone the hospital entered into a partnership with Monovista and that their medical division found a way to safely isolate chromosomes and fully remove the CFTR gene mutation. 

In the latest test for the Promethium Energy Field Emitter, the radiance is extended to 55 miles.

As Ishmael is listening to the police band, a 10-57 is reported. This is the code for a firearm being discharged.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Jennifer is inspecting her ransacked room with Anissa.)
Jennifer: So hard not to light them up. Having to stand there and let them completely destroy my room. 
Anissa: That's why we work on restraint. It doesn't come naturally. 

Jennifer: Nothing comes natural anymore. Even dealing with the face I have to walk around in.

(Tobias is going over his immediate plans with Val and Red.)
Val: One more thing, sir. Dr. Stewart? Her role in your plan is as crucial as any, and we haven't heard anything from her. Are you sure she's on track?
Tobias: What you don't know about Dr. Stewart is, her finest quality when it comes to her work is she leaves no stone unturned. And we're using that attribute against her. The best part is... she has no idea.


Continuity

Grace and Anissa return home to Freeland and a surprise party.

Anissa reveals she called ahead and told her parents about their marriage over the phone.

Grace is welcomed into the Pierce Family.

A SWAT Team, led by Special Agent Kevin Mason, arrives in the middle of the party with a warrant to search the house.

Jefferson discovers that he's been accused of embezzlement and his personal finances have been frozen by the government.

Lynn confirms that she is still trying to figure out Val Seong's power.

Jefferson apologizes for pushing Lynn to test the meta-booster made from Val's genes on herself in 406. She accepts the apology.

Jennifer is returning to Garfield High under the alias JJ Stewart - an Army brat, Jennifer Pierce's cousin on her mother's side, she wanted to finish school in the States so the Pierces offered to let her stay with them while she finished school.

Tobias was given the body-cam footage of the SWAT officers who searched the Pierce house so he could amuse himself watching Black Lightning's house be trashed by the police.

Red suggests that he talk to Marshall Bates - the CEO of Monovista - and encourage him to speed up the delivery of their new weapons. Tobias agrees.

Val asks about why Tobias isn't rushing the part of the plan involving Lynn Stewart. Tobias says that things are on track and that he doesn't need to do anything but wait in regards to her.

TC is nursing an obvious crush on Jennifer and shows up to escort her to school on her first day.

Gambi is plotting to steal a stockpile of Promethium to make DEG-proof suits for the team.

Lynn asks Gambi to test the meta-booster she made with Val Seong's DNA. He agrees, but he doesn't feel anything when he takes it.

Jefferson meets with Marcel Payton - the teacher to whom he started renting his father's home in 403. 

Marcel gives him an eviction notice and notes that everyone in the neighborhood got one. He and his children are okay, however, thanks to Tobias Whale insisting on paying for all the families being displaced by his new hospital to be set up in new homes.

Jennifer tells TC she hasn't felt any different since her transformation.

A student named Montel leads a protest against Jefferson Pierce.

Montel is told off by another student named Uriah.

Jennifer thanks Uriah for what he did and introduces herself as JJ, Jennifer's cousin.

Jennifer and Uriah are in the same band class.

Jefferson tries to contest the sale of his father's house, but is run through a loop on the phone.

Jennifer doesn't understand why losing the house is such a big deal. Jefferson explains he wanted to save the house at it was such a big deal to his father that he was able to work hard and earn property.

Jennifer calls Jefferson "Daddy" for the first time in years.

Jennifer lies and tells Jefferson that kids were protesting for him at school.

Anissa has a consultation with an old friend named Kiki, who is seeing a man named Marvin and is  17 weeks pregnant.

Kiki says one of the genetic tests for her baby came back abnormal, showing that the baby had DNA markers for cystic fibrosis, but she was told that could be fixed with a single outpatient procedure.

The energy field emitter has its first successful trial, generating energy in a 55 mile radius.

Gambi triggers a false alarm so that he can steal a tank of Promethium from Lauren's lab.

Ishmael kills a member of the Freeland Resistance trying to learn where to find Blackbird.

Grace and Jennifer hangout at Anissa's apartment.

Jennifer vents to Grace about the protests against her dad and tells her about Uriah.

Grace says that shapeshifters tend to be good at reading body language and she could tell Jennifer was upset and that she had a crush on Uriah based on how she moved when she talked about them.

Tobias gives a speech and brings Marcel Payton out to talk about him being the sort of person he intends to help as mayor.

TC traces the records which seem to show Jefferson embezzling school funds. They amount to 12 transfers from the education fund into the trusts Jefferson set up for his daughters. They are direct deposits with no middle man.

TC suddenly loses his powers and can't talk to the computers anymore. Eventually they realize that his power outages coincided with Gambi entering the room and standing next to him. This is confirmed when Jefferson is unable to "light-up" next to Gambi.

This leads to the revelation that Val Seong is a nullifier- a metahuman whose power is cancelling out the powers of other metahumans.

Freeland High School scraps its music program two days after Jennifer got into the band class.

Jennifer tells Uriah she has an idea on how to raise the money to fund the band program.

Lynn's latest test of Jennifer's physiognomy suggests that she's unstable. She calls Jefferson to tell him about this, but suddenly changes her mind and says she called to tell him she'd be working late.

Anissa and Grace break into Monovista to get the files on Kiki's procedure and are ambushed by Ishmael.

Ishmael is able to wound Anissa's thigh, but is forced to flee when Grace changes into her leopard form. He apparently had no idea Grace was a shape-shifter based on his intel.

Gambi uses a satellite to scan for extreme magnetic energy signatures. This enables him to track Red when he's using his powers against the CEO of Monovista.

Red beats Mr. Bates with a golf club before bending it around his neck and threatening him.

It is revealed that Lauren was developing the Energy Field Emitter for Tobias Whale.

Mr. Bates says the Emitter will be ready. They just needed a few more days for final testing.

Red gives Bates 48 hours to deliver and threatens him with a bullet.

Jefferson says this confirms that Red is the one who killed Mayor Black.

TC is in communication with Khalil and Philky, who are about to try a new procedure to deactivate Painkiller's kill-order against The Pierces.

TC tells Khalil about how Jennifer is doing.

Khalil offers to help investigate how Tobias framed Jefferson, having some inside knowledge of how Tobias handles his finances.

Anissa is healing following Ishmael's attack.

Gambi doesn't know much about Ishmael beyond his name.

The Bottom Line

An enjoyable episode, heavy on plot and light on action, but the stage is being set well for one Grand Guignol.

Black Lightning Episode Guide: Season 4, Episode 6 - The Book of Ruin: Chapter Two: Theseus’s Ship

For a summary of the episode guide layout & categories, click here.

Plot

Jennifer's life has been saved, but her appearance is completely different after her body solidifies! As Jefferson struggles to cope with another change he blames himself for and Tobias Whale's announcement that he's running for mayor, the rest of the family rally to support Jen as she copes with her own identity crisis. Meanwhile, a new assassin is in town and Lala is in his crosshairs.


Influences

The 1942 film Cat People (Jennifer and Anissa watch it), Big,13 Going on 30, Freaky Friday, Being John Malkovich,  Face/Off (all movies involving being in a strange body), Star Wars (Ishmael is essentially Boba Fett even before we see the "frozen" Lala) and the March 13, 2020 shooting of Breonna Taylor.


Goofs

While the title-card for the episode gives its name as Theseus's Ship, it would be more grammatically correct  for it to be Theseus' Ship, without the extra s.

Why does Gambi tell Jennifer not to tell her parents who made her temporary costume for them when she's specifically going to save Jefferson, who is smart enough to figure it out when his daughter suddenly has a new costume.


Performances

Laura Kariuki has a fantastic first turn as the new Jennifer, getting a scene with each character to show that she's the same Jen but in a new body. It's frightening how well she's replicated some of China McClaine's mannerisms.


Artistry

The Breona Taylor flashforward scene is a powerful moment.


Trivia

The episode title comes from a classic thought problem from Ancient Greece, regarding the ship of the hero Theseus and the nature of identity. The idea behind the riddle of Theseus' ship is whether a thing is defined by physicality or thought. If you replace all the rotten wood in the ship of Theseus, is it still the ship of Theseus once all the wood has been replaced? If you take that rotten wood and could somehow cure it and used it to build another ship identical to the first, would that also be the Ship of Theseus? 

Coincidentally, a few weeks before this episode of Black Lightning aired, the question of Theseus' Ship achieved prominence on-line due to it figuring into the season finale of Wandavision, when two versions of the robotic hero Vision contemplated which of them was the true Vision - a copy born of the memories of the original Vision or the one born of his body, which had no memories belonging to the original?

This episode contained the first Post-Crisis reference to the League of Assassins on Earth-Prime. It was suggested, in the final episodes of Arrow, that Thea Queen and Talia Al Ghul were reforming what remained of the League into a heroic organization. It's possible the League of Assassins group Ishmael mentions is a new group evoking the name of the original League.

Ishmael is a relatively new introduction to the DC Comics Universe, who first appeared in Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 3 #1, in July 2019. Ishmael was a member of the League of Assassins who gained metahuman powers and immortality as a result of experiments Ra's Al Ghul conducted with the waters of the Lazarus Pits. In addition to being immortal and having a heightened healing factor, Ishmael had the power to neutralize the powers of any metahumans he came in contact with. He also had superhuman strength and durability and could amplify the powers of other metahumans. This made him an ideal assassin for superhero targets.

The Arrowverse version of Ishmael does not seem to be a metahuman, but is incredibly skilled in combat. He is currently auditioning for the League of Assassins and must kill 100 metahumans to earn a place among them.


Technobabble

Something in the transmutation process caused the genes responsible for determining Jennifer's appearance to express themselves in a new way. Gambi explains that Jennifer's new looks obey the same logic as identical twins; she has the same genes, but the genes are presenting themselves in a new sequence.

Before looking at the ballistic reports for Mayor Black's death, Gambi determines that he was shot from an elevated position, given that he grabbed the top of his head when he was shot. The problem is that the only building tall enough to match the angle of the shot was 4 miles away - nearly twice the distance of the longest sniper shot ever recorded. 

Lauren still cannot get her energy field emitter to cover an area larger than 500 feet.

Gambi theorizes the problem with the energy emitter is that they are using the wrong power source, which would explain the problems with the voltage regulator. He suggests Promethium might be able to solve the problem, but they'd need a lot more than is known to exist.

The pieces inside the Go board that Gambi gives Lauren conceal a retina scanner, which lets him get the pattern of her eyes.

Lynn modified the meta-booster formula so it will only work on ordinary humans, so as to prevent another super-meta like Gravediggger.


Dialogue Triumphs

(Grace finds Jennifer in the corner of the Sanctum, looking at her costume mannequin.) 
Grace: It's strange, isn't it? I remember the first time I shifted. It's not easy changing faces.
Jennifer: Perenna warned me this might happen. She said if I wasn't careful, I'd explode. Grace, what am I gonna do? What about my friends? What about school?
Grace: Hey, don't worry about that right now. We'll figure it out.
Jennifer: Yeah, well, you're lucky. You can change back whenever you want.
Grace: Okay, sure. I mean, now. But there's been plenty of times when I couldn't.
Jennifer: So what did you do? How did you get through it?
Grace: I focused on what was important. Not this. (gesturing at Jen's reflection in the glass case) This. (poking her arm) It's not who you are on the outside that matters. It's who you are inside. And deep down, you are still the same strong Jen we know and love. Nothing's gonna change that.
Jennifer: I certainly don't feel like it.
Grace: You will, trust me. Now, come on, your family's waiting.

(Black Lightning emerges from the shadows out behind the FPD building. He regards Detective Hasan cautiously.)
Detective Hasan: Black Lightning.
Black Lightning: Detective. Or should I say... Head of the New Meta Task Force? I don't know what side you're on, man. 
Detective Hasan: (chuckles) Don't get your drawers in a bunch. It wasn't my decision.
Black Lightning: Oh? Sounds like something a traitor would say.
Detective Hasan: Oh, yeah? Would a traitor get you the ballistics from the mayor's killing, like you asked?
(Detective Hasan passes Black Lightning a plastic evidence bag containing an unspent bullet.)
Detective Hasan: Notice anything unusual?
Black Lightning: Yeah, it's still in the casing.
Detective Hasan: That's right. It was never fired.
Black Lightning: If it was never fired, then how...
Detective Hasan: Let go.
Black Lightning: What?
Detective Hasan: Trust me. Just let go.
(Black Lightning does so. The bag suddenly goes flying and sticks to a nearby metal container.)
Black Lightning: What the hell?! It's been magnetized.
Detective Hasan: How do you fire a bullet without a gun? Magnetic powers.
Black Lightning: (nodding as the pieces click together) So a meta did it? Yeah, that would explain the distance of the shot... (shaking his head) You need to know, Lightning had nothing to do with this. And she's not to blame for Lydell Jackson either.
Detective Hasan: I know. Not that it's going to matter much. The chief is on a warpath. After what happened with Lala gettin' away, she's planning raids on half the damn Eastside. She's already approved a dozen affidavits for no-knock warrants.
Black Lightning: No-knock warrants? She lost her damn mind? Most people in this city are packing.
Detective Hasan: That's right. Which is why I'm telling you... Freeland needs Black Lightning. Or are you gonna disappear on us again?
Black Lightning: No, I'm back... for good this time.

(Anissa and Jennifer are watching an old movie together. It's the 1942 version of Cat People.)
Actor Tom Conway: Women, who, in jealousy or anger, or out of their own corrupt passions, can change into great cats, like panthers!
Jennifer: Really, Anissa?
Anissa: Wait, what?
Jennifer: All the movies you could've picked, and you just had to choose one that reminds me of being trapped in this body?
Anissa: You right, my bad. What would you like to watch instead? (laughing a bit as Jennifer starts to laugh too) Let's see, we got 13 Going on 30. Big. Let's see, Being John Malkovich. Ooh... Freaky Friday.
Jennifer: Oh, my God, Freaky Friday? Can you imagine?
Anissa: No.
Jennifer: What if I switched places with Mom? I'd be all like (impersonating Lynn) "Go get our baby."
Anissa: (laughing) Ooh, that was good. That's good, but it could be worse. You could be Nicolas Cage in Face/Off.
Both: (in unison, mimicking Nicholas Cage) "I'd like to take his face... off."
Anissa: Oh, man. It's really not all that bad, though. I promise. Now, I wasn't gonna say anything, but, girl, your skin... Jen, your skin, it looks amazing now.
Jennifer: Really?
Anissa: Yeah.
Jennifer: You think so? I do kinda like the dark chocolate look.
Anissa: I ain't worried about you. You be fine. You just gotta... just make sure you look at all the positives. Okay? (pauses) Like the fact that you could be playin' in the WNBA.
Jennifer: Shut up.
Anissa: Okay, I'm just sayin'! I'm sayin'

(TC and Jennifer hear on the coms that Black Lightning is going to stop the police's random raids.)
TC: You should go. He may need backup.
Jennifer: No, I shouldn't. My mom told me not use my powers.
(TC stares at Jennifer in disbelief.)
TC: Don't get mad when I say this, but, uh... who the hell are you?!

(Jennifer enters the Sanctum and approaches the case with her costume. Gambi comes from around the corner.)
Gambi: You're late.
Jennifer: Uncle Gambi, you scared me!
Gambi: (calmly) That suit's not gonna fit you anymore. You're a lot taller now. I am working on a new nanotech model for you. But in the meantime... I've got something that should do the trick. Just don't tell your parents.
Jennifer: I won't. Thank you.
Gambi: I'll go grab it for you.
Jennifer: Wait, Uncle Gambi? How did you know I'd be here?
Gambi: (smiling softly) Because that's what Jen would do.


Continuity

The new Jennifer has the same DNA as she did before, despite her changed appearance. 

According to Grace, Jen smells exactly the same as she did before, despite her changed appearance.

Grace claims that it took her time to master her shape-shifting powers and that she eventually learned control by focusing on her inner self.

Jefferson leaves the Sanctum before he can talk to Jennifer.

Jennifer claims to feel fine, but is told not to use her powers.

Jennifer starts using JJ as an alias and claims to be Lynn's niece.

The full name of Tobias Whale's lawyer Val is Val Seong. She is also revealed to be the ALS patient he wanted Lynn to help. 

Val notices how strange Lynn and JJ act around her, having not thought of a cover story before then.

The police are publicly blaming Lala and The 100 for Mayor Black's death.

Lala is still on the run following the events of 405.

Jeff says he's uncomfortable with Jennifer's new appearance because her energy feels different. Gambi insists that it's impossible for her to be an alternate dimension doppelganger when Jefferson points out he's traveled to other dimensions and fought with Superman, in reference to the Crisis on Infinite Earths.

Gambi is unable to hack the Freeland PD computers to get the ballistic reports regarding Mayor Black's death. He is able to figure out that Lala wasn't involved, as he and his men were on the ground and whoever shot Mayor Black did some from an elevated position, four miles away from the scene of the crime.

Gambi is able to get a shot of a hooded man from a security camera placing him on the roof at that moment. 

Tobias personally purchases a next-gen DEG for every cop in Freeland and announces that he is running for mayor in the new election to replace Mayor Black.

Detective Hasan is able to give Black Lightning the ballistic tests report on Mayor Black's death, as well as the bullet. Jefferson notices the bullet is still in the case and hadn't been fired. Detective Hasan points out another oddity: the bullets appear to be magnetically charged, suggesting the bullets were thrown by a metahuman with magnetic powers.

Black Lightning tells Detevtive Hasan that Lightning had nothing to do with Mayor Black's death or the death of Lydell Jackson. Detective Hasan says he knows, but it doesn't matter because the chief is on the warpath. 

Detective Hasan warns Black Lighting that Chief Lopez is planning a series of no-knock raids across the East Side of Freeland in an effort to smoke out Lala.

Lauren reveals that Promethium the rare metal that is the power source of the DEGs and that Monovista International has a sizeable stockpile of it.

Anissa and Jennifer watch the movie Cat People together.

Anissa tells Jennifer about her and Grace's secret wedding.

Jennifer tells Anissa to take Grace on a honeymoon ASAP.

Lala tries to attack Destiny as she's picking up protection money, but she's protected by a masked man wielding two swords who calls himself Ishmael. 

Ishmael kills Lala and then drops him in a freshly poured bed of concrete before pouring more wet cement over him.

Gambi gives Lauren a gift: the Go board that she beat him with, with the pieces glued in her winning configuration. He can still recall it from memory. 

Lauren was the only non-Japanese player who could beat Gambi at Go. 

Lauren offers to thank Gambi privately in the secret room of their lab when they're meant to be working.

Gambi does seem to feel guilty about this, given he was trying to steal Lauren's eye-pattern.

Lynn confirms that Val has ALS and also has the metagene, but she has no idea what her power is.

Jefferson asks Lynn to make a meta-booster serum of Val's DNA so they can determine her power and see if she is Tobias' magnetic assassin. Lynn refuses. 

Val tells Tobias about JJ and how strange she and Lynn were acting. She reveals that she took a picture of JJ on her phone.

Tobias asks his AI to scan for pictures of JJ. It does not find any.

TC offers to use his powers to set Jennifer up with a new identity, complete with DL and passport.

TC was a fan of the show Good Times and says Jennifer's alias reminds him of the character of JJ Evans.

Jefferson goes to stop a no-knock warrant for Apartment 4 at 717 Garner Drive.

TC shows Jennifer several videos of people on Lightning's social media thanking her for saving them, to inspire her to go help her father.

One fan on TikTok made a Lightning Dance, which she does with her friends.

Gambi hasn't had time to build a new costume for Jennifer, but he did put together something like the Blackbird costume that should work for a night.

The police attack the wrong apartment. As predicted, the man inside the raided apartment draws his gun and tries to defend himself, thinking he's been robbed and not thinking about the police. A flash-forward shows his girlfriend dying in the crossfire, her funeral, and a string of fights breaking out across Freeland as the police and protesters clash. This then rewinds back to before the police can fire a shot as Black Lightning shows in to protect the people and knocks out the cops.

Lightning saves Black Lighting from being overpowered by police armed with the new DEGs. 

Jefferson apologies to Jennifer for being so weirded out by her new appearance and thanks her for coming to help him. She, in turn, thanks him for saving her life.

Anissa models several outfits for Grace, asking if she'd rather travel to Vail for a ski trip, New Orleans during Mardi Gras or the Akashic Valley.

Ishmael presents Destiny with a concrete-encased Lala and declares that he is his 94th Metahuman kill. He must kill 100 metahumans to earn a place in the League of Assassins.

Destiny hires Ishmael to stay in Freeland a while and kill the rest of the city's metahuman vigilantes. She gives him photos of Black Lightning, Grace (in her masked costume) Blackbird and Lynn (with her mask)


The Bottom Line

A fantastic episode that manages the near impossible trick of referencing current events and effectively introducing a new character without becoming hokey or forced.